In order to monitor and properly maintain the potability of water within the buried water lines of a municipal or rural water distribution network, operators of such networks are commonly required by public health agency regulations to periodically retrieve and test samples of water from water lines at various locations throughout the water distribution system. Upon such water retrieval and sampling, the water system operator or a water testing laboratory typically tests the water samples for appropriate chlorine levels and/or the presence of pathogens and contaminants.
One of the problems confronting water system operators in retrieving such needed water samples arises where sampling must occur at residential water usage sites. In many such cases, water from a residence's household water spigots is not available to the operator at a particular time the operator arrives at the residence to retrieve a sample. Also, in many cases, a residence's water outlets, faucets, and spigots are not suitable for sampling and testing due to utilization of a household water softening system.
Another potential location where a water system operator might obtain a needed water sample is the water pipe and meter components which are exposed within the residence's water meter box. However, water is typically not sampleable within such water meter box without performing burdensome steps of disconnecting and reconnecting water meter and water line couplings. Such water meter box means of water sampling is time consuming and is undesirably mechanically complex.
Another known method for achieving such needed water sampling provides a water spigot post which extends upwardly from ground level and from a buried water line. However, such spigot posts typically must have freeze protection and insulation and are undesirably expensive, difficult to install, and are subject to damage from accidental impacts with riding lawnmowers and the like.
The instant inventive method solves or ameliorates the water sampling problems and challenges discussed above by including structure providing steps, installation steps, and usage steps which allow water to be mechanically simply and economically sampled from a water meter box.